My Son Took His Life at 15. Here’s What I’ve Learned. #NoDejahVu
My son Craig took his life when he was 15 years old. The devastation of his death and his continued physical absence in my life is beyond description.
Expanding my comfort zone
I realize that there’s a lot going on right now that doesn’t fit anywhere in my comfort zone. It has made me outrageously uncomfortable. Through it all, I have taken solace in the fact that I have taken chances I don’t think I would have ever taken. I’m not a big fan of moving out […]
Ask Myk: On Self-Love in an Ableist World
The first of a bi-monthly column with Myk, this article explores the concept of loving yourself despite the ableism in social messaging about autistic people.
What is Self-Harm, Why Does It Happen, and What to Do about It
Self-harm is often terrifying to the person who engages in it and to those who discover a loved one has self-harmed. Here are some tips for dealing with it.
Appreciating Life When Overwhelmed by Death
Being surrounded by death at a time when social rules are disrupted is overwhelming. I mourn through immersion in nature and mindful appreciation of life.
Coming out on Top: Autism, Covid, and Posttraumatic Growth
Covid is a large-scale traumatic event. Neurodivergent individuals are perhaps feeling these effects even stronger. But we can adapt and grow from this trauma.
COVID19: A Summer of Reasonable Expectations
Russell anticipated and prepared for the pandemic weeks before everyone else. Things were going well until anxiety dissolved his routine. His healthy eating, meditation, creative outlets, and even his hygiene were lost as he spent days at a time in bed.
For Non-Autistics: How to Survive COVID19 in a World Not Made for Your Neurology
The same traits that non-autistic people have pathologized in autistics are the ones neurotypicals need to adopt in order to make it through this pandemic while their needs are not being met.
Safe and Inclusive Advocacy in the Autistic Community: Unique Minds and Challenges
Self-advocacy in any marginalized community is the driving force for broader social change. In the autistic community, advocacy has unique challenges.
Four Words: You Need to Change
Beginning when he was young, and throughout is life, John was told that he needed to change. This forced him to resent and feel ashamed of being autistic. Here’s how he found the soil to grow in the light of acceptance.
